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Categories: Bakeries, Sandwiches
Neighborhood: MissionMon. 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Tue-Wed. 7:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Thu-Fri. 7:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sat. 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
"The secret to developing key business relationships? Jasmine Rae's cupcakes! Jasmine personalized our cupcakes with our company colors and…" read more »
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We came in on a Saturday morning at around 9am. We ordered mainly pastries to tie us over while we did an urban hike.
Let me tell you that the dessert case that held all the goodies looked amazing. The cookies and cakes looked so delicious!
Anyway - on to what we got, chocolate croissant, gougere (sp?), and a currant scone, a latte and an iced tea. The total damage was about $17... not too bad considering what we got.
Drinks were standard... although my friend got a non-fat latte and the barista used whole milk.
Chocolate croissant - still warm! So flaky and warm, it melted in your mouth.
Currant scone - I didn't try it but my friend loved it.
Gougere - gruyere cheese, thyme and pepper baked into what looked like a giant bun. However, the inside was hollow, it was interesting and had it been warm, absolutely delicious.
Overall - I'd recommend this place, I want to go back and try the sandwiches.
It seems like a lot of (thousands) people love this place but my experience was not the best.
I came here in the middle of the day (1:30 ish) on a Wednesday with 2 girlfriends for a small lunch/snack. So I got an open-faced sandwich which was really just a big slice of bread that had cheese and tomatoes and ham on top. Like a pizza but not. More like a toasted sandwich with one slice of bread (instead of two) on the bottom.
The "sandwich" was not good. To be specific - the bread was too hard so it was hard to bite and when in my mouth it was cutting my lips and gums! There were not too much ham and the cheese was hard.... not soft. The reason being that this sandwich was probably made in the morning and have been sitting around getting old for hours before I ordered it. I don't know what I was thinking ordering a "sandwich" that I can point at behind a counter... it looked old when I pointed at it. Toasting it didn't make much of a difference, just warm but not hot. Surprisingly not hot because it took them 20 mins to get it to me... its not like they had to make it from scratch, they had to toast it!
Very disappointed. Oh and seats are rare, you have to fight for it, or hover over someone as they eat and wait for them to leave. Weird.
I will give this place another chance when I'm in the neighborhood again. Since sooo many people heart it. I will try the scone next time.
Have you been somewhere surreal only to relive it again? It was again another delicious meeting with Yelper Maybelline C, her husband Marc, and friend Eric. Similar to the previous visit, the line was still out the door for the usual half an hour wait, the venue was still super crowded with no place to sit, and their cakes and pastries were as sexy looking as ever. Thanks to May, our table was flooded with two open face sandwiches that came with buttery semi-firm baguettes where each were separately staked with ham and shitake and savory melted cheese on top. Next, we took it a step further by taking turns to enjoy a lemon meringue tart, banana crème pie, tres leches cake, and two dark chocolate éclairs.
I thought the taste of the lemon meringue was off and not as good as the one I had at Emil's. Otherwise, the banana crème pie was absolutely delicious with fresh bananas and soft cream filling bounded by a layer of dark chocolate underneath around the sugary crust for an added dimension to its flavor. The tres leches cake had super intense moisture from the exterior to the core; and the two éclairs were filled with creamy custard to complement the rich semi-bitter chocolate and soft doughy texture from its outer shell.
Thank goodness my mama wasn't there to see it. We were so sugary stuffed that left on the table was a coconut crème pie which Eric had to take home. I would love to try their morning bun, pumpkin pie and bread pudding for my future visits. In short, my second visit was filled with many bright spots, but the glaring shortcomings were their messy tables as they did not have anyone to clean them once they became available. Additionally, I thought their espresso drinks and lemon meringue were an aberration at best. Otherwise the opportunity to hang out with everyone in the morning really made it pleasant for me the rest of the day. Thanks to May, 4.5 stars for the overall experience.
PS: As a suggestion for the owner, I hope you'll consider making a red velvet cake. I would love to try it.
The love fest between me and Tartine Bakery was inevitable. It was bound to happen since we crossed… Read more »
How it took me so long to finally try this place....i don't know. I'm ashamed.
But better late than never. Well I finally made my way out here for a presnack before meeting up for dinner. And I got myself some chocolate croissiant, bread pudding, couple of their cookes (Oatmeal with orange zest is good) and of course the winner, almond croissiant...it is absolutely delicious. My friend got the morning bun and we all tried it after our dinner. The almond croissiant, I saved for myself for the next morning as breakfast and Oh My God....it's perfectly flakey, with a good nuts and filling ratio. I think I'm going to have to come back here more often to hunt that almond croissiant. sooooo good
1700 reviews CAN'T be wrong...
This place is an absolute GEM. I shared two of their quiches (ham/cheese and arugula/bleu cheese?) and the lemon cream tart. DIVIIIIINE, I'm tellin' ya. Wash it all down with a hot cup of quality joe.
I like almost everything about this place: the clean bathroom, the large tables, the window seating, the simple logo, the daily selection of baked goods, the quality of ingredients used, the great coffee...my only reservation is the lack of parking. But that's SF for you.
I say, take your treats over to Dolores Park and pop a squat to enjoy the scenery. If the weather's right, it's the best place to enjoy your Tartine cuisine.
This place has the best breakfast in the city. Le Croque Monsieur, bread pudding and the morning bun are all to die for.
Although only available in the afternoon, the bread is also fantastic - I had the bread at Delfina and its the only time I've ever stopped the waitress to ask her where they got the bread from. It's just so good.
Sure, the seating can be a little annoying, but you'll just have to deal with it.
Really, it's one of the highlights of the city. Golden Gate Bridge, Pier 39, and Tartine bakery.
Stop what you are doing right now and go there.
The morning after my Gary Danko birthday meal we headed to Tartine for a quick bite before heading back to San Jose. We were unfamiliar with this part of town so we were not sure of the location but as soon as we saw the line we figured we had found it. It's much smaller than I expected.
We ended up getting the apple bread pudding and the Croque monsieur which was cheesy, hammy ,tomatoey goodness on top of a thick, crusty, scrumptious slice of bread. The pudding was just ok the Croque was delish.
I wish we had a bigger appetite. I gotta come back to try the huge morning buns and the croissants.
Warning: the cute carrots that came with the Croque were damn hot!
It was the eve of the Thanksgiving holiday, and I knew I needed to prepare myself for the days to come. What better way to prepare for the holiday than to splurge at Tartine Bakery.
I met up on this nice sunny day in the city with my husband, friend Eric, and fellow Yelper Daniel L. Daniel L. grabs his food first and mans the fort (aka table right outside) while Eric and I wait in line to order our food. We approach the glass case filled with glorious sugary goodness. It nearly brought tears to my eyes. I felt like it was some kind of sick joke to have me pick a few items from this plethora of sweets. Alas we order and head back to the table with two-open faced sandwiches, two eclairs, a coconut creme tart, banana creme tart, and tres leches cake. We join forces w/ Daniel L.'s lemon tart and open faced veggie sandwich. Everything was delicious, but the tres leches cake kicked the ass of everything else. Moist cake w/ a flaky bottom layer brought me straight to nirvana w/ every bite. Oh yea...it was that good. The ecliars were soft and flaky, filled with creamy custard, and topped with a dark chocolate frost. Banana creme tart (my second favorite of the "meal") was basically a banana creme pie in tart form with chocolate on top. The twist here is the crust was lined with chocolate and CARAMEL! *drool*
Tartine, I fell in love with you that day and I promise to return soon. A big thank you to Daniel L., Eric, and Marc for ringing in Thanksgiving with me by indulging in sugar bliss.
Morning Bun, you are the sunshine in the morning, the light at the end of the tunnel, the apple of my eye. I love you and only you.
Morning Bun - the crown jewel of Tartine and rightfully so. love the hint of orange zest.
Frangipane tart - very soft. the berries were not tart at all. loved it!
Chocolate Hazelnut Tart - while the chocolate was very rich, the hazelnut fell flat. it's a bit like an overpriced piece of chocolate. would have liked a stronger hint of hazelnut.
Coconut Cream Pie - very very tasty but a bit overpowering after the first few bites. i wish the crust was a bit easier to break too.
Almond Rocher - very strange texture (a bit like cotton candy, just melts in your mouth) but love the strong almond slivers and flavor.
Croque Monsieur (Mushroom) - i love the bread.
i'm like a kid in a candy store at Tartine, my eyes light up at the sight of all the goodies, i get all giddy, i just can't get enough. i went twice over the weekend and both times the line was just inside the store. even if the line was longer, definitely worth the wait.
I had breakfast in the morning here and a round of bread in the afternoon. My breakfast was perhaps the best meal I had in San Francisco this trip. I tried 6 different dishes here, the highlight being the Croque and Chocolate Vanilla Pudding. The Croque can be had a few different ways: plain, ham, cracked egg and mushroom. I had it with ham. It was savory and delicious. Not to be missed. The Chocolate Vanilla Pudding simply was divine. I still remember every bite. I also had the Morning Bun, croissants, Chocolate Hazelnut tart and the Banana Creme Tart. While pretty good, not stellar.
In the afternoon some truly fantastic breads are also available. Tasty with a nice crust and soft interior.
The only complaint one can have is that it is quite crowded since the food is so good. There is a line to enter and order your food. Once you have your order placed finding someplace to sit is a cutthroat affair.
Tartine is not to be missed.
A local took me and her mother here for breakfast today (Black Friday). I was dismayed to see the long line outside the door (guess a lot of people took off work today), but also relieved in knowing that long lines are a good sign. While you wait, you can watch the cooks mixing a huge bowl of several sticks of butter, or gaze at a pitcher full of eggs.
When you finally get inside, your eyes gaze at the impressive display of organic, local and fresh pastries and cakes. We had gotten the croissant (it was half the size of my head, and the best one I've had my whole life), a ham and cheese croissant (amazing!), a morning bun (perfect chewiness with sweetness from sugar? and cinnamon), a charred swiss quiche (perfectly silky eggs with just the right amount of cheese), ham quiche (delicious!) and coffee. It was a grand breakfast, and I will definitely visit them again.
Seeing as most, if not all, ingredients are organic, I was pleasantly surprised at the cost of the food. Really, it's no more expensive than Starbucks food, but this is so much more tasty and filling!! 5 Stars!!
Honestly, hands down the BEST Bakery I have been to. I went about 3 years ago on a girls trip up the coast. My cousin introduced us to TARTINE. We went for lunch, then back for dessert that evening and back for breakfast the next morning. I tried to save my leftovers but it didn't last the 6 hour trip home:(
I called my husband at home and told them they had a cookbook. He ordered it for me off of Amazon for Christmas. I kid you not, tastes just like the real thing. Everytime I make something from it people love it.
If you have lunch or breakfast or dessert at just one place in San Francisco go HERE.
I love it when a place lives up to the hype. Yummy pastries, delicious coffee, and friendly service; you can't really go wrong with this place. There's so much to choose from that I don't know where to start. The quiche are my favorite now. The bread pudding and sandwiches are also good but the quiche is what I would go back for. It's no wonder this place is packed all the time. It's also easy to find since it's right on the corner of 18th and Guerrero street but parking is a pain on the weekends so be prepared to spend at least 10-15 min looking for parking.
A suggestion? Order the pastries/coffee to go and walk over to Dolores Park and sit there to enjoy it. It really does make for a nice way to start off the day.
Tartine Bakery is good, though it's always got a line & stuff is pretty expensive. Why don't they have a sign outside their door?
I got this time:
4" Frangipane tart $6 - It has a mild almond filling w/ some tart huckleberries. Pretty boring & dry. Skip it!
4" Banana Cream Tart $6.35 - it's good. Thick crust w/ chocolate & caramel (didn't taste caramel) on the bottom, lots of banana, whipped cream, & some shaved chocolate on top.
Walnut Bread $7.25 - it came out HOT & FRESH at 4:30pm on Sun 11/15/09. The guy said usually at 5pm bread comes out & today was early. I love HOT & FRESH Bread!
My total $19.60. Credit cards taken.
To try next time:
morning buns (morning item)
croissants (morning item)
lemon bars
gingerbread tiles
Guerrero @ 18th St
This place is good, but I just don't really get all the hype or the massive line out the door. Seems like they're pretty famous for their bread pudding so I tried that thinking I can't go wrong since so many people were ordering it....DISGUSTING with a capital D. I had to throw it out. Yuck! Way too soggy and sweet. Maybe I'm not a bread pudding person.
But I also tried their oatmeal something cookie, the macaroons, the lemon bar, and the pumpkin bread. All good (Lemon bar was the best I've ever had actually), but nothing that marked it amazing or better than other bakeries I've been to. And prices are outrageous! $4 for a lemon bar? $5 for a slice, a SLICE of pumpkin bread? I've gotten a whole loaf of pumpkin bread for that much and it actually tasted better elsewhere.
So I recommend going here if you're in the neighborhood, but it's not a place that I would recommend going out of your way for.
Tartine! I've been coming to visit you way too often lately. But in my defense it had been a long while since I'd last visited. Now that I got a another bit of your yummy, cakey, sweetness...I'm hooked again.
See you soon!
The lemon tarts and walnut cookies...so worth the long wait to get your order in and somewhere to… Read more »
1 Frangipane Tart = $6
2 Rocher (Meringues for your French speakers out there) = $ 1.5
Cappuccino = $4
Pumpkin pie = $5
Toast with Cheese = $6
Brioche bread pudding = $4
-$30+ but one happy tummy!
Tartine Bakery's Morning Sticky Bun w/a Cafe Latte would be one of my top 2 reasons I move to SF.
Tartine is totally worth the hype and waiting in line, it moves fast, especially if you know what you want.
A couple of things I've tried:
coconut passion fruit cake - the passion fruit creme isn't as sour as most others, and leaves a refreshing feeling on your tongue that goes well with the cake/coconut flakes.
mexican wedding cookie - not as buttery as most, very crumbly and delish. made with walnuts.
bread pudding - not a huge fan of bread pudding to begin with, but i wanted to try it because everyone else had a bowl of it. suprisingly good, very filling though.
besides the horrendous parking... this place is perfect!
::edit:: went back for breakfast.
ham quiche: baked to perfection... the other quiche was just ok.
morning bun: glazed with orange marmalade and sprinkled with a little sugar. w/a latte... mmm..
Not feeling too generous with stars today but Tartine's was good and I'll admit the line out the door caused us to drive to Stable Cafe and back to the line....Interesting herd effect at work here!
Drove at least 2 miles around the block and alleys to find a space just across the street - no deductions for tough parking.
Once in line, we needed the extra time to gaze at the menu and decide on the Muesli and Bread Pudding....The Muesli was a little too 'yogurty' for me so by adding honey it gave it the right sweetness.
Next time I'll stick to anything flakey like croissants because they are GOOD. But almost every other customer had the bread pudding...so include that if you're new.
Sitting at a table in or out is fine for people gazing but a little challenging when the line is active.
Oh, the coffee is fine...I expected a darker richer look when I pumped it from the self serve pot so I was a little suspect of the 7-11'ish thin looking coffee but it did taste better than it looked. They also have a custom coffee bar that seemed to be the default for regulars.
How the hell have I lived in this city for almost three years now and still have never been to this place?!
The lemon tart here is absolutely to die for.
As are the croissants.
With a yummy coffee and Dolores Park,
It's a great day.
my absolute favorite bakery. best bread. best croissant. banana cream pie and coconut cream pie are also very yummy and naughty. delicious lattes.
it's not a dainty french bakery - don't get me wrong - i enjoy those as well but this is just no holds barred baked goodness
it's probably a good thing i don't live close by because i don't think i'd be able to stay away. this is a treat for me when i'm in the city.
parking in this area is tough. you might have to walk a bit. there's usually a line and looking at the display case while you're waiting to order can be torture but one bite and mmmm.....
Phenomenal ham sandwich! Obsession-inducing coconut cream tart! Perfect handmade coffee! The baked goods will make you cry.
My only complaint is that the double-size pain au chocolat is too doughy. They tried to deliver a super breed pain au chocolat, but it just doesn't have that nice, light flaky thing going; it kind of clogs your gullet. It's like a dough football with a bit of chocolate lost in it.
But OH, you've never seen a finer ham sandwich! And clearly I need to try other things on the menu, which is stellar.
Do wish the prices weren't so high, but they earn it...
What hasn't been said?
For me, as much as I love all the pies and cakes that they offer, there is nothing more indulgent to me than a morning bun or pain au chocolat and a latte, taking it to go, and hiking up to the top of Dolores Park, finding a bench, and enjoying it all with a great view of SF.
Love ya, Tartine.
I decided to take advantage of my afternoon working in the city, and hit this place up before heading back to the south bay.. My little detour was well worth it! The reviews are true!!
Oh man, this place is heavenly.. It looks like your regular bakery/cafe, but don't let that fool you.. The food is awesome. I got their ham+leeks+? quiche. Soo good! The crust is made out of flakey, buttery phyllo dough instead of a traditional crust! I was pretty full after this, but couldn't leave without taking something back home to last me a while longer (or atleast until tomorrow morning!).. I got their Spicy Turkey hot pressed sandwich (toast in oven at 375degrees for 10mins.. you'll DIE!!) and a Banana Cream Tart (it has a surprise chocolate shell layer, between the crust & filling!).
Another bonus, besides the awesome baked goods, is the outside seating and live music! Yea, its a really small place, but they had some cool, local musicans, jammin' it out! LOVE THAT on a Thursday night!
I can't wait to go back.. it'll definitely be a destination, rather than a detour next time!
Tartine is a magical bakery, endowed with powers to massage simple ingredients like flour, milk, and butter into otherworldly light and flaky croissants that would make Sophie Marceau smile. It's every bit worth the weekly pilgrimage here for bread pudding, croque monsieur, and the delightful hot and zesty pickled carrots. When you can't be in France...
I finally went to Tartine.
I arrived at 2 in the afternoon with no line and no empty tables. I ordered a gougere, a nonfat cafe au lait and a cup of apple bread pudding. The moment she asked "For here or to go?" a table for 2 outside opened.
Fortune was smiling on me on my sunny Saturday in the mission.
My cafe au lait was served extra hot for my outdoor table in a large bowl. My gougere was exactly how it's was supposed to be, though it retrospect I should have ordered a pain au jambon instead.
The bread pudding was mind blowing. It was sweet and creamy and had a slight rum taste. It made me want to give up a search for a meaningful relationship. It made me with I had bought the bowl sized bread pudding (which I will do, in the future).
The outside provided a great area for people watching and I did not feel rushed in the slightest. I felt like I could sit and enjoy my Saturday without hurry or purpose. Isn't that the purpose of Saturdays? Books and two hour lunches alone to reflect on life?
Perhaps the more I try, the more my rating for Tartine will increase. I will update when I have tried the morning bun, a tart and another bowl of bread pudding
Croque monsier. That's what I had. I remember cause I couldn't pronounce it. But, the harder it is to pronounce, the yummier it will be, yeah? I wasn't far off - the croque monsier was an open top sandwich with your choice of topping, and it was really tasty! Just by looking at the sandwich though, I thought at first that it'd be a bit too creamy for my taste, but it was just about right.
I had the banana cream tart this time. Light custard, fresh diced banans, and caramel flavor mixed in the center .Quite good. Overall I'd say their pastries are decent (I've had better), and I left feeling more satisfied from the sandwich than dessert.
Seating is quite tight - all the times I've been there, they've been packed with lines. It took a little waiting and maneuvering to find a spot, so be prepared to wait a little if you want to dine in. Otherwise, I'd say pick up some food here and chill at the mission dolores park - that'd make for a fine afternoon as well!
Came here for a late lunch on a Saturday with some friends... since we were starving we decided to try their Pressed Sandwiches as well as their desserts.
To start, because we were famished...
Frangipane Tart: Light almond-cream filling baked in a flaky pastry shell with seasonal fruit.
-- I gotta say, it didn't look THAT appealing especially since I was expecting fresh fruits, but the fruit was baked and it just looked dry. Oh, how appearances deceive!!!! The tart was flaky, but still moist and delicious!! You can definitely taste the almond, but it wasn't overpowering and best of all, not too sweet.
The pressed sandwiches were all made with freshly baked bread, which was a definite plus in my book!
Spicy Turkey Pressed Sandwich: Peppered turkey breast, provolone, broccoli rabe pesto.
-- Spicy? I must have missed it, but it doesn't take away from this delicious sandwich. The broccoli rabe pesto with the turkey was just heavenly. Only thing I would change about this sandwich is probably using a different cheese. I felt the provolone got lost in the flavors and instead just made the sandwich a little muddle towards the end.
Pastrami Pressed Sandwich: Niman Ranch pastrami, horseradish, gruyere
-- Good sandwich, could definitely use a bit more pastrami. The horseradish and gruyere were a good choice, but the pastrami itself, I've had better... so overall I wasn't too impressed with this sandwich.
Prosciutto & Provolone: San Daniele Prosciutto with dressed arugula.
-- Probably the most unimpressive sandwich of the 3 we chose, then again it is just prosciutto & provolone.
Overall, delicious place! If parking wasn't such a pain, it wasn't hot as heck inside and crowded, I would definitely come back every time I visited SF.
There's a reason that the line is 15-deep out the door. (Hint: it's not because of my yelp review.) I have yet to try anything on this menu that is not delicious. 5-plus stars!
Minus a half star for being too far from my house...
The coconut passion fruit bavarian was amazing!!!! great flavors and a perfect balance of creamy, sweet, fruity and tartness.... love love love... i wish i had extra room in my tummy to try everything else... will have to wait til my next visit.
For more reviews visit my blog.
I have choice to go Tartine during the weekday, it much easier to get us (mom with 1yrs baby) around. Anyway, I'm here not to brag about their yummy yummy, they do have good service behind the sugar and flour. One time I got double charged for two purchased I made couple weeks ago, and I e-mail them as my concern. I got reply from them next two days, and refund for week later. That's a real five stars service
There's really nothing I can add to the hundreds of reviews for this place, so instead, I'll quote from my journal entry that day:
"I wasn't even remotely hungry, but I managed to easily down their delectable fruit tart. Deelicious!!!"
I waited patiently in line for about 10 to 15 minutes from the time I arrived to the time I paid for my mother's lemon meringue birthday 'cake'. It was a spectacular surprise, although I had to fork 30USD for something I could have paid half that price elsewhere... needless to say, the quality was divine. It is heavenly fluffy and incredibly sweet, just the way you want your meringue and it still had a bit of a bite towards the end of it.
I say if you enjoy well prepared desserts and don't mind having to wait in line, come in to Tartine and have a seat. There's outside seating as well on the side to enjoy a sunny afternoon for those lounging around although be forewarned, it is ALWAYS crowded therefore if you come with a group be sure to hunt down chairs.
It's good.
But based on the reviews, I thought it would be mind-altering.
It wasn't.
I thought it would transform me into a dessert-lovin', pastry-diggin' chic.
It didn't.
I anticipated a gain of an immediate five pounds just because I tried this place and could not stop eating to save my life.
I didn't and I could stop eating.
But, it was good.
I admit, I don't have a sweet tooth. (Thank the good Lord for that because goodness knows I eat plenty - - I'd be in trouble if I loved dessert, too!) If I have room for baked goods, I'd have another plate or bowl of whatever.
But once in awhile, desserts are SOOOOOOOOOO good that even *I* fall victim to it. Like, at Acquerello. Or Waterboy. Or A16. Or French Laundry. Or.... okay, so I guess I like it often enough!
At Tartine, though I only tried about 5 different things, nothing really blew me away or made me fall to my knees, praying to God for willpower. Their bread pudding was good - but bread pudding in itself is good, I'm not sure what made this better. Coffee? I love coffee, and their was alright.... ..but... but what makes it so special?
It is a busy place, and it's located in what looked to be a charming neighborhood.
FYI - - there are actually TWO Tartine bakeries in SF. Who'd have thunk it? We went to the wrong one first, looked around and thought, "This can't POSSIBLY be what the Yelpers are raving about." We asked, and the girl told us that there is indeed one more. Even we had more tact than to ask where it was, so we looked it up ourselves and headed to "THE REAL" one. MUCH nicer, much bigger selection, and very good stuff here. I do not know if the two are affiliated or not, but the selection at this one was MUCH better. The lines were here, not there.
I give it a solid 3.5 stars. The half star is thrown in simply because with 1700+ reviews, I figure I'm missing something...
But to be honest, I am not entirely sure what kind of bakery would be deserving of 5-stars. If you know - - hook me up.
I'm looking to expand my horizons.
I got up at the crack of dawn (7 am for the "live free, live unemployed") and headed over to Tartine in the hopes of beating the heinous line that forms in the morning. Luckily, if you get there before 9 chances are you will not need a wristband for CarbFest and I got in and out rather quickly. The staff is very helpful suggesting options that really did fulfill what i was looking for. I got the Gruyere cheese puff pastry (sorry I forgot the Frenchie phrase for it, but it is located by the quiches) and it was excellent. They lose points for playing a depressing medley of Morrissey . Do you guys sell handguns too?
Honestly, Tartine was good, but I would rather go to Four Barrel listen to Jawbreaker (at least it's not depressing) and get an almond croissant and coffee there, where it is less chaotic.
We went here last night around 7pm, before catching Wicked.The place was hard to find (no signage and dark) but luckily there were no line. I heard so much about Tartine from the yelp grapevine and it's been on my bookmark to try for a while. So I was looking forward to trying Tartine.
I'm dissapointed. It wasn't all that I thought it would be. We ordered the cup size Bread Pudding ($3) and the smoked ham Croque Monsieur ($9.25). They were OKAY. I've had better bread pudding with better texture. It might be because we got the last piece so it was just everything that was left in the pan. And I've never had croque monsieur before but I think $9.25 for a slice of bread with ham & cheese on top was a weeeeeeee expensive!
Not coming back.
I came up with another grand scheme for a friend and I to cross two more items off of the Big Eat SF List (I'm so glad I found a fellow unemployed Type A personality who will go through this list like it's our job with me). Since Tartine has not one, but TWO items on the list, we planned to go in the morning for the first item (morning bun), then lounge in Dolores Park for a few hours and return for the second (loaf of bread warm from the oven, slathered in cheese from Bi-Rite Market). Yes, my self-appointed "job" is a tough one, but someone's got to do it.
The first part of the plan went smoothly, but I failed to realize that Tartine's bread does not come out of the oven until 5 pm, so part two has been postponed for another day. After a strenuous afternoon of lying in the sun, it was important I get home and rest.
So now, onto the report. And while I freely admit to being a complete glutton, I promise that the following was not all consumed in just this one breakfast trip...
- BIg Eat SF item #17: Morning Bun from Tartine. Buttery, flaky, delicious. The center of a morning bun is always the best part -- gooey and soft, and this one had an amazing caramelized top. I would have liked if some nut topping were involved as well, but no such luck.
- Pumpkin Bread: For me, this bread epitomizes the taste of Fall. Spiced, flavorful, baked to perfection. We don't get four full-blown seasons here in San Francisco, and a bite of this pumpkin bread may be the closest you'll get to a "real" Fall.
- Zucchini Bread: Very tasty, but not quite up to par with the pumpkin. I liked the bits of walnut in the bread, but something like this has to be pretty darn amazing for me to choose it over a more gluttonous morning pastry.
- Ham Quiche: This one was my friend's pick. I won't say it was bad because I highly doubt it was, but quiche just isn't my thing. Too eggy and cheesy for me. The crust was perfectly flaky and nicely browned.
- Gougére: Another savory item, and predictably, not my fave. A giant bun filled with cheese. A must for cheese lovers, a pass for me.
- Banana Cream Tart: Ok now we are getting into the real deal. Tarts like this don't just come along every day. Flakey pastry coated in dark chocolate with caramel, pastry cream, and lightly sweetened cream. Chocolate + caramel + banana = WOW.
- Tres Leches Cake: This one must have been a seasonal item, as I don't see it on the online menu. My memory is failing me, though I do recall this wasn't your traditional tres leches cake and every time I put my fork down and said "I'm done", I was back within seconds for just one last bite.
- Passion Fruit Lime Bavarian: Always save the best for last. Lime-moistened genoise with passion fruit Bavarian. Topped with sweetened cream and coconut. I'm about to make a bold statement....I think, that this just may be, the best slice of cake I have ever had. And I don't even particularly care for lime or coconut. There have been more than a few occasions when I've found myself lying in bed late at night thinking about this cake. Like right now.
And thus concludes my lengthy review of a place with nearly 2,000 other reviews, and I think I gained about 40 lbs just writing about so many delicious pastries. I am officially exhausted, and in desperate need of more cake.
YUMMY. i ordered a croissant which had Gruyere, thyme and black pepper inside. this was no croissant with a piece of hard cheese in the middle that had been sitting all day. oh no dear friends, the cheese was magically incorporated with the croissant dough....but just in the middle. so damn good. savory deliciousness. i also got a latte which was on point.
no seating available. place is tight so i took it to go.
I had been recommending this place to friends who visit SF - but had never gone myself, until yesterday. FINALLY! I braced myself for a line that wrapped around the corner, with people chanting "Tartine! Tartine!" but to my surprise, the Monday morning crowd was pretty subdued. We got there around 9:30 and hopped right into line, waiting only a few minutes before it was our turn. So many options, so little stomach space. I went with the bread pudding (only did a cup, shoulda chosen a bowl), my husband went with the coconut cream tart, and we split a croissant.
The bread pudding was amazing. It had baked apple slices on top, and the bready part had a consistency that resembled flan (which I love) more than bread pudding. I loved it. It didn't go overboard with the sweetness, and the flavor was spot-on. The coconut cream tart was good, too, but more like a dessert than a breakfast. I loved the combination of caramel and chocolate lining the tart crust. MMmm...and the croissant - wow, all that buttery goodness. I can't wait to go again to try more things. I'm sure I will not be disappointed.
There are few words that can describe such divine pastry crafting. I could rave about this little hot spot for hours. I'll save you the time and just recommend you leave now to get in line because it will wind around the corner. Please keep waiting.
You cannot go wrong when you order. It's overwhelming to see just perfect little buns, pastries, puddings, pies and more, but just hold the course and pick one (or three).
Happy Hour
Neighborhood: Mission
Student Discounts
Neighborhood: Union Square
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Bakeries
Neighborhood: Noe Valley
Category: Bakeries
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Bakeries
Neighborhood: North Beach/Telegraph Hill
Category: Bakeries
Neighborhood: North Beach/Telegraph Hill
Category: Bakeries
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